Andy Marlette's cartoon in this morning's PNJ attempts to draw parallels between Republican leadership in Florida and locally with the acceptance of anarchy and lawlessness in Blue cities like Seattle and Portland. To do this, he pictures the Pensacola I-110 under the bridge homeless encampment and tent city. Of course, his equivocation on this misses the mark like most of his cartoons do consistently. Cities like Seattle that allowed entire chunks of downtown areas to be occupied by lawless criminals had nothing at all to do with homeless individuals desperately clinging to existence in Pensacola Florida. Out west, it was all about ideology and certain quasi-political groups like Antifa flexing their muscle, showing what they could and would do in cities run by like-minded politicians in places like Portland and Seattle.
The homeless encampment in Pensacola under the I-110 bridge, by contrast, is not a political statement being orchestrated by partisan activists---and that's the huge difference between what is happening here and what happens in Seattle and Portland.
Insidiously--Andy conflates the two issues even as he knows they are different.
The issue under the bridge in Pensacola is about folks who are truly down on their luck and are homeless and desperate. Sure--there is dysfunctional behavior and some criminal activity taking place in the encampment. Yes, much of it has not been discussed publicly for political expediency as the city desperately tries to make the problem disappear by dispersing it out to the county---which is a disastrous plan nobody supports and for which nobody has even bothered to properly plan for.
But the Seattle "CHAZ" debacle is nothing like what's happening in Pensacola, and Andy knows it.
Nope-- this issue is about the city attempting to move a stubborn eyesore problem out of their viewshed. And meanwhile--noone has reached out to the county to obtain permits or permission. The city hasn't attempted to explain this plan to county residents in Bellview who ABSOLUTELY do not want this homeless camp in their neighborhood.
They are just planning on doing it--which I will not support and which I will actively oppose.
So the picture, above, is much more apropos than what Andy presented. He's making a political attack out of the desperation of the homeless whereas my rendition, above, is a humorous jab at the folks who are naive and believe they can just move this camp next to an existing neighborhood and such a move will not have devastating consequences on the area surrounding such an encampment.
Remember--they are not telling the truth about the dysfunctional activities going on right now around the current site under the I-110. They don't want you to know about the problems assiciated with this tent city. This way, they can pat you on the head, tell you everything is alright, and mollify you into accepting this campsite in your neighborhood. See the way this works?
Unfortunately I see right through them and their plan. Others do, too.
Use ECAT buses to transport them to cold weather shelters, even if in other counties. Immediately Today. Tell them to take their belongings with them or put them in a storage facility themselves.
ReplyDeleteThat disperses the illegal encampment, gives them shelter, connects them to resources.
Any thing left, send in City crews and put things in dumpsters, remove porta potties.
Wash the area down and post policemen to enforce code.
Don't read the PNJ or Marlette, Save the paper and a tree. One can click an incognito tab on a PC and read and save the $1 dollar for six months.
Moving them or taking them into raise and is not the duty of government.
It enables bad behavior to continually coddle them.
The National Guard should have dispersed CHAZ from the beginning, the world wide socialists were trying to bait Trump to overstep the constitution and take over the state's rights. You could look on their webpage and see the video. That is exactly what they were trying to do.
Contact the Governor to send in the National Guard to disperse the encampment. Perhaps transport them to the same encampments of other refugees in secure areas.
ReplyDelete"Then they will reply, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and didn’t do anything to help you?' Then he will answer, 'I assure you that when you haven't done it for one of the least of these, you haven't done it for me.'"
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 1012--we want to help folks and this is a generous community where there are many entities and individuals that do just that all day everyday. So this is not about whether or not we help those less fortunate or those in need; this is about doing it the right way and not acquiescing to those who, for political expediency's sake only, want the homeless camp moved out of their area of responsibility and relocated "somewhere else....". Will we help them? Yes is the resounding answer. But this does not mean that the provision of support services and help requires a neighborhood of families 10 miles away in suburbia to accept the associated dysfunction (public urination, littering, public defecation, needle drug use and dumping of such drug paraphernalia in the streets, begging, yelling, fighting, screaming at all hours of the night, criminal misconduct, serious criminal activities, etc. etc. ) of some that are in the camp by choice, addicted to drugs, engaging in nefarious conduct, and already wreaking havoc on the area where they are currently----with no desire to change such behavior. There are strategies that can be employed and monies and resoures that can be deployed for the benefit of those who truly need help within this encampment while containing this issue to the area where it is presently.
ReplyDeleteInserting theology into a government decision is probably not a great idea but since it is there, the first part of that scripture basically says Jesus will separate the goats and the sheep and if one feeds the sheep, eg. his followers they are doing the same as to Jesus. You can't feed the whole world, that won't try to do right for themselves.
ReplyDeleteAlso CHAIRMAN Bergosh, You could, on your first day introduce a stronger Tree ordinance to protect large historic trees. To not allow their removal.
Spend the discretionary funds that languished budgeted but unspent for Beach Haven.
Interesting meeting today.
ReplyDeleteECW back to their lies.
Ho hum.This time it was Ellen from Perdido reporting on the meeting and Doug saying Mel is crazy.
Nope. They are.
Barry did fine so did you. For Doug exclaiming, on July 1 "He stands alone fighting discretionary" so the marks will throw roses is ridiculous. Good you stood in support of Mays projects also.
DD2 is such a twisted con man.
Of course he tried to keep Access 4 for himself and put in the golf cart trail, and pass the inlet plan to keep the stretch private.
The land acquisition coming up today is most likely so he can use it at his town hall.
He tries to play poker face but his false mask was obvious to me from the beginning.
Congrats on being chairman and your experience is a win for the board and the county.
Hope the redistricting goes smoothly despite his unprecedented behavior as usual.
Be like Barry. Don't care about Doug's unprecedented behavior and false narratives.
Don't be like the other unfortunate victims of his diseases.